At goodmedia we are all about organic — from what we wear, to what we eat, to how we grow our business. The most impactful way to grow your business is through organic growth. We hear that phrase all the time — organic growth. But really, what the heck does it mean? Well, it is really quite simple. There are four basic ways to grow your business organically.
1. Acquire more customers
2. Sale current customers more products/services
3. Sale current customers more expensive products/services
4. Sale current customers more profitable products/services
The most obvious choice of the four is to acquire more customers and in so doing create a larger base from which to draw revenue.
An, “If you build it, they will come” philosophy has been the ruin of many small businesses. There is a reason why the movie was called Field of Dreams. In the real world, building your business is the easy part, getting the customers to come to you is the hard part. So, how do you draw more customers? Marketing.
- Research and create a strategic marketing plan. You may want to enlist the help of a professional.
- Evaluate your current product/service offerings and make necessary adjustments to reach out to a client base you are not currently addressing.
- Know what the competition charges and price your product/services accordingly.
- Know your customers PROBLEM and be the SOLUTION.
Marketing Tips
- Target Marketing. Get comfortable with the fact that not everyone is your client. Narrow in on who your target market is, and develop a pitch and sales collateral that is effective for that niche.
- Maximize Your Budget. Don’t overlook the importance of sales. You will get more bang for your marketing dollar by focusing on the sales-marketing relationship. These two are co-dependents. There is no use in spending money on marketing if it is not followed up with aggressive sales efforts and vice versa. And, your sales efforts provide the client interfacing necessary to build effective marketing tools.
- Make Personal Contact. Make a point to call at least ten potential clients everyday. Call — not email. There is great value in personal phone calls that is lost in email. Follow your call up with a handwritten note.
I also recommend Jeff Crilley’s book, FREE PUBLICITY. As an Emmy winning reporter, Jeff knows the insider tricks to getting media attention. Free publicity is always a good thing.
